Secrets That Make The Blood Run Cold
by Turtlefan141
Summary: When sweet, calm Michelangelo becomes depressed and starts doing the unthinkable, all it takes is one wrong accusation for one of his brothers to find out the truth. But is it too late for Mikey, and will Leo have to take the fall? Human AU-Rated for mentions of self harming
1. Chapter 1

_Ok, I have to admit, this is ever so slightly based on 'Smoking with Boys' from the TV show 'Life with Boys'. If you haven't seen it, let me give you a brief summery. The main character (Tess)'s twin brother (Sam) starts smoking to become cool. When Tess tries to help him, she ends up being caught with a cigarette by their dad. Just before she has 'a talk' with her dad about it, Sam goes to tell him the truth._

_Once you read the story you'll understand how this fits._

_BTW-This is completely unrelated to my other human au stories._

_BTW (again)-I know I've already done a Mikey/Leo brother moment, but it works so darn well! I'll try to make other brother moments though._

_BTW (again again)-In this story Karai is only Miwa, and she's not evil._

* * *

He didn't know how it started.

Well, technically he did, he picked up Leo's new razor and just...well, cut. He couldn't help it, he was depressed, everyone seemed to be against him, and it was just sitting there.

How was he supposed to know that his family would find it and automatically think it was Leo harming himself?

It was his own fault anyway-Leo's not his. He was always so withdrawn, had been for years. He didn't talk much, when asked about it he just said that he didn't think it was necessary to talk 24/7. These were the exact reasons why he was currently getting 'a talk' from their father and other brothers.

When in fact it was Mikey who dawned the scars they suspected the eldest of having.

It was quite ironic in itself. They suddenly noticed Leo's normal behaviour, but hadn't noticed as Mikey changed little by little each day. First he had stopped eating. Not completely, but just eating less at meal times and not having as many snacks. Then he started to train more, early in the morning (even before Leo got up) and long after everyone had gone to bed, as well as the three practice sessions they had a day. Then he had started to talk less and less, to the point where he barely spoke to his brothers at all.

He couldn't quite pinpoint a single factor that had started the whole thing. It was more like one to many things at once, eventually crushing him under the weight. It really began when he started high school just under a year ago and had found himself the primary target of a bully. Now Mikey wasn't usually one to be pushed around, but this wasn't his brothers, this was a guy twice his height, twice as strong, twice as dangerous. Of course he could tell his brothers. They were all trained as ninjas, Raph and Donnie were two years older, and Leo was the student body president _and_ eldest in the entire school, but he didn't didn't them to think he was weak.

Hamato Michelangelo was a lot of things, but weak wasn't one of them.

So he had continued to be bullied by the boy. It was mostly physical, sometimes mental, but nothing that some long sleeved t-shirts and a lot of positive thinking couldn't help. But then April O'Neil, a close friend from Leo's grade, had gotten an illness and had been bedridden for six months. April was the only person that Mikey could go to when he felt upset and couldn't speak to his family, and without her, he had stated to become more upset, more depressed. Then his family had all started to turn against him; they had started to leave him, make him feel useless during his training.

The razor just...happened.

There was the sound of shouting from the living room, the 'talk' obviously wasn't going well. Mikey had a feeling it wouldn't, that was why he was in his room. Soon Leo ran into their room, slamming the door behind him, and sat down on his own bed. Leo and Mikey shared a room, as did Raph and Donnie. It wasn't originally going to be that way, but Leo was the only one who could tolerate Mikey's occasional nightmares.

The elder looked up from his position of his head in his hands. "Mikey? What are you doing in here?"

"Nothing." Mikey said quietly. His voice was a lot softer than it was before.

This didn't go unnoticed by Leo, who blinked in surprise. "You ok?"

Mikey nodded. "Yeah. Why?"

"You just seem...upset about something." Leo replied.

Mikey flinched involuntarily. If they found out his secret...he didn't know what they'd do-what he'd do. " I'm fine."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

Leo was unconvinced. Mikey had changed over the past few weeks. The others may not have noticed, but he sure had. He thought about the blood covered razor that the rest of the family had found. It was his razor, but _defiantly_ not his blood, and it hurt to think that they thought for a moment he would ever consider self-harming.

Mikey couldn't be...could he?

Leo stared at his brother's arms. He'd been wearing long sleeves shirts all the time, even when it was too hot to be wearing a t-shirt at all. He couldn't help but worry. He tried to tell himself that he was being stupid and irrational. That was, until his gaze caught the scar that was poking out of the sleeve.

Before Mikey could react, Leo was on his feet and grabbed his wrist and, despite the younger's struggled, managed to push the sleeve upwards, showing his brother all the scars he had made over the months.

Leo gasped. "Mikey."

Mikey fought tears. This was what he'd tried so desperately to avoid. "Well go ahead. Shout at me, call me an idiot."

Leo shook his head. "Why? Why Would you do this?"

It was Mikey's turn to shake his head. "No."

"Please Mikey." Leo pleaded. "Please."

The younger boy drew his knees up to his chest and sighed deeply. "Promise not to tell the others?"

"Mikey I-"

"Promise me." He demanded.

Leo stared at his little brother. He looked utterly and totally defeated. In the end he lowered his head. "Alright Mike. I promise."

Mikey nodded-Leo never broke a promise. He started to tell his tale to the eldest brother, going into the details he had tried to desperately forget, but found that they were permanently scarred in his mind. Leo looked at his brother the whole time, his gaze not moving from the wounds on his arms.

"And when I saw the razor I-I just couldn't help it." Mikey finished. "I didn't know they'd find it and think it was you, honest Leo-I didn't."

"I know you didn't Mikey." Leo comforted. "But why didn't you just tell us when everything was getting to be too much?"

"Well Donnie and Raph were both shutting me out, Donnie's always with April and Raph's always saying that I'm annoying. I'm used to that. But...I never thought you'd leave me alone."

Leo suddenly felt more guilty that he ever had before in his entire life, even though it wasn't strictly his fault. "I'm sorry Mikey-I would've helped you anyway. I was just busy. I'm graduating in three days, and I have to help the council get a new student body president. Plus I'm valedictorian, so I had a speech to write that's only just finished." He sighed and placed a hand on his little brother's shoulder. "But no matter now busy I am, I'll always have time for you."

Mikey put his head in his hands. "What am I going to do?"

Leo sighed. So far he couldn't only see two options. He knew which was right, the one which would help his brother. But Leo wondered whether Mikey had the courage to confess.

Which left the other choice.

It was wrong, he knew that, but Leo could go through the therapy and distrust. Plus he had the scars from his training, he could always pass them off as the scars his brothers were searching for.

"What do you want to do?" He asked.

Mikey looked up, startled. He had expected Leo to demand the he confess. "What?"

"What do you want to do?" Leo repeated.

Mikey blinked. "You mean I don't have to confess?"

Leo shook his head. "No."

Milky stayed quiet, which was answer enough for Leo. He nodded once before getting up and walking over to the door.

"What are you doing?" Mikey asked.

"They know something's going on." His brother stated with a nod to the door. "Someone's gotta take the fall."

"Leo."

The elder simply shook his head and went to open the door. Mikey knew it was then or never.

_**~Secrets That Make The Blood Run Cold~**_

Leo couldn't help but fiddle with his gown as he sat in his seat next to Olivia Harroldson. Soon they'd call his name, and he'd have to read the speech that he'd been working on for the past two days. He only hoped it would reach the audience, but more importantly, his family. Michelangelo had confessed to what Leo was blamed for, and was on his way to recovery. He had been excused from school for the week so he could have numerous hospital checks and doctors appointments, just to make sure that he hadn't created any internal damage. Luckily the search came back as safe. His arms were now bandaged up, which was why still he wore hoodies and long sleeve t-shirts, but vowed to once again wear his appropriately named 'skater clothes' once again as soon as possible.

They had received a few stares as they walked in, but the fourteen year old found comfort in that his previous thoughts were false, and that he wasn't alone.

The principle sighed, having finished his speech. "And now let me introduce your valedictorian, Hamato Leonardo."

The class and stadium of people cheered as Leo got up and walked to the podium himself, and once there he took a deep breath.

"I had a speech already prepared." Leo started. "But after some recent events I have chosen to change it. I hope I made the right decision." He took a another deep breath. "Secrets. They're all around us. For instance, it's no secret that all of us today are both excited and nervous beyond belief. Excited because, well, we're graduating. It's the date we've been waiting for since the day we walked in four years ago. But we're also nervous. The world beyond high school is unknown to us. We don't know what will happen, who will make it, who won't, but what we do know if that we will always have these days."

His smile grew. "Then there are 'those' secrets, the ones you keep just for the sake of it. For instance, three week ago I told my three little brothers that I was going to prom alone so they wouldn't bombard we with questions and teasing. They got their own back though, 'cause they had a secret of their own. They'd hidden a camera in my tie." The whole stadium erupted in laughter, including the three boys in question as they recalled the memory.

Leo sighed. "Then there are the secrets that are secret for one reason, and one reason only. You just don't want anyone to find out. They're the ones where you're too embarrassed or think that others will look down on you. The ones where you believe you're doing the right thing by keep it to yourself. Only, your not, you'll only be harming yourself. Now I'm not going to bore you with a long lecture about how 'honestly is the best policy', but I am going to tell you that someone will listen. It may be your family, your friend, it may be the one person you least expected it to be, but someone will be willing to let you open your heart. I stand before you today not to remind you of the dangers of the outside world, or to tell you about life lessons you're going to use the rest of your life. No. This is something that, no matter what I tell you, you will still make the ultimate decision. And for that I only hope that you make the right ones."

"Congratulations class of 2014, and in the words of Yogi Berra, 'It ain't over 'till it's over', and let me say, graduates, it's finally over." The stadium cheered him as he took a couple steps back to let the principle back at the podium.

"Yes, thank you Leonardo. So with the speeches over, I would like to start the diploma ceremony. David Arrens."

As the boy walked on stage, people cheered. Mikey smiled, that would be him in four years, though he'd be considerably later in the list. He glanced down at his bandaged arms, wondering what they would look like when the time arrived. He knew he'd always bare the scars, but to be honest, he didn't really mind. It was a part of he was, a reminder of what to look out for.

A reminder to steer clear from harmful secrets.

As Leo collected his own diploma before shaking the hand of Mathew Hudge, Mikey couldn't help but smile. Leo had been prepared to take the fall and go through the therapy and reforming, jut so Mikey could feel normal.

This was why he had snapped the razor in half that night and threw it away.

"Oroku Miwa." The principle announced. A girl walked on, her dark brown hair short and the roots freshly dyed blonde. Just before she took her diploma, she kissed Leo on the cheek, to which he smiled, something that did not go unnoticed by his younger brothers.

"Leo has a secret girlfriend?" Mikey asked no one in particular, to which the elder two smiled.

Looks like Leo had one more secret he needed to share.


	2. Chapter 2

_Ok, this was meant to be just a oneshot, but someone sent me a review asking me to update soon. So I pondered on the subject for a bit, and in the end I decided to do one more chapter, just sort of a epilogue._

_unicorn-vomit, this one's for you._

_P.S. Beetlejuice2000- it was a simple mistake which I've now corrected. No need to get your name tag in a twist._

* * *

_Two years and nine months later_

The three younger brothers fidgeted involuntarily as they sat in the hospital waiting room. It had been around three hours, and they were starting to get worried.

How long does it take to deliver a baby?

The past nine months had been hectic, though most of that was Leo. The brothers had found it quite amusing that their 'fearless leader' was just short of a nervous wreak, trying not to enrage Miwa in any way.

Now the shoe was on the other foot.

Mikey could still remember how it happened, as if it was just the day before.

* * *

_Nine months before_

_Mikey waited as Donnie held his letter. He had been waiting for this for months now, he had handed in the letters, essays, recommendations. All he had to do was wait._

_And now it was here._

_Slowly, he opened the letter, pulling out the paper inside. His eyes ran across the words before widening._

_"I got in." He whispered. He looked up and smiled at his family. "I got into Yale!"_

_His brothers cheered, though they beer doubted that the family genius would get into the college he wanted so desperately. Raphael, who was also graduating with Donnie in two months time, had chosen not to go off the college as Leo had and Donnie was. Instead he chose to et a job at a nearby auto repair workshop, seeing as he already knew so much about engines from working on his motorcycle._

_"Well done my son." Splinter praised._

_"Told you you'd get in Donnie." Mikey smiled. The bully had backed off around eighteen month ago. Somehow his family speculated that it had something to do with the day that Raph came back with blood on his knuckles, but chose not to press the matter. Since then Mikey's personality had gone almost back to normal, and in the whole two years since the discovery he had only had two relapses, both ended with him going straight to Leo._

_A knock on the door turned Raph away from the celebration, and got up an answered the door, revealing Miwa. Her hair had grown and the blonde dye had faded from the roots, now leaving long brown hair, which she had dip dyed blonde to accommodate for the previously lost dye job._

_" 'Ey Miwa." He greeted._

_"Hi Raph. Is Leo in?" She asked._

_"Yeah, just a sec. LEO, YA GIRLFRIEND'S 'ERE!" He yelled into the living room. After the kiss at graduation, the brothers had forced Leo to introduce Miwa to the family, and found out that Leo had kept their relationship secret for just under four months._

_"Thanks Raph." Leo thanked sarcastically, blushing ever so slightly. "Hi Miwa."_

_"Hello Leo." Miwa replied, kissing her boyfriend on the cheek. Raph rolled his eyes and muttered something about 'getting a room' before walking off._

_"Umm...Leo, can I talk to you. Somewhere...private?" Miwa asked._

_"Err, sure." Leo replied, not quite sure of what to make of the comment, and soon the two walked off into the hallway._

_The brothers, now minus Splinter (who had gone to his room to meditate), all exchanged looks._

_"What do you think they're talking about?" Mikey asked._

_"Probably just talking about their relationship. It has been over two years." Donnie stated._

_"Yeah, migh' take it to 'the next level'. Who knows, Leo may 'ave got 'er pregnant alrea'y." Raph laughed. The others laughed-what a preposterous thought. _

_**~Secrets That Make The Blood Run Cold~**_

_"What? Really?" Leo questioned, not quite believing her yet. "You're-"_

_"Yes." Miwa confirmed, taking Leo's hand and placing it on her stomach._

_"I-I just can't believe it. God, what are we gonna tell them?"_

_"We'll just tell them the truth."_

_"Yeah, probably the best. You do know that Splinter's gonna kill me. Right?"_

* * *

While Splinter hadn't, per say-'killed him', he had given Leo a forty minute lecture. In the end though, they had gone through with the child. The brothers teased Leo relentlessly at first, but in the end promised to help them later on. They even helped when Leo, being honourable as always, wanted to do things right and proposed, and helped to sort out the reception, seeing as both of them simply wanted a board registration wedding. Miwa, being an orphan, had never had a family, and was very excited to finally have one. She knew that everyone loved the baby, even before it was born.

Now the day had finally come, none of them could sit still.

"Mr Hamato?" A nurse called, the four looked up. The nurse raised an eyebrow and looked back to her sheet. "Umm...Hamato Yoshi?"

Splinter got up and walked over to the desk, walking back a few moments later and leading his sons to the room that their brother and sister-in-law were residing in. They smiled when they saw the 'It's a boy!' balloon outside the room. They walked in quietly.

"Hi." Donnie greeted.

"Hey guys." Leo replied softly as he held a blue bundle in his arms.

"You wanna see him?" Miwa asked. Her voice was horse but still as sweet as always.

Slowly, the three boys and their father crept forward, and peered at the child in the blanket. He had dark brown hair, his mothers rather thank his father's sandy blonde, but his eyes were a rich blue rather than dark brown.

"Wow, he's got your eyes bro." Mikey marvelled.

"Yeah." Leo said quietly, still not quiet believing that it was his child.

"What did ya call 'im?" Raph asked.

"Akito." Miwa replied.

"He's...so small." Mikey muttered.

Leo nodded. "Would you like to hold him?"

Mikey looked up. "Can I?"

Leo smiled. " 'Course you can."

Leo handed Akito over to Mikey. The baby blinked at his uncle before flashing him a toothless smile. From that moment on, Mikey knew he couldn't suffer any more relapses. It wasn't just him, his father and his brothers anymore. There was now small child he needed to spoil, along with any others that would follow. And there would be more.

Donnie and April weren't as good as keeping secrets as Leo was.

* * *

And that, my fellow fanfictioners, is really the end.


End file.
